It's a well-known fact that tourists in L.A. are anxious to visit the Hollywood sign. But lately, with the aid of GPS devices and tour buses, an increasing number of out-of-towners have been finding their way to quiet residential streets in the Hollywood Hills.According to NBC Los Angeles, those who live in the area are split down the middle about the issue. more ›

Rocco Piganelli was on vacation with his family in Maui when he took the above photo last Saturday, July 9th. Moments after the photo was snapped the man seen at the far right was knocked down by a wave and vanished into the blowhole, never to return. more ›

TMZ and Starline Tours announced today the offspring of their beautifully unholy union: a sensational new Hollywood Tour called 'Secrets and Celebrity Hot Spots.' More than a Star Map on wheels, this tourist adventure of scandal-soaked dreams promises a custom Starline bus that stops at such locations as Winona Ryder's least favorite department store, and the legendary Laugh Factory, "where 'Seinfeld' star Michael Richards went on his famed racist rant," reports CBS Local. more ›

It's your day off. You're uninspired and under-funded (aka bored and broke). "But I live in Los Angeles!" you remind yourself. "There's got to be something I can do that won't break the bank." Art, music, museums, theatre, workshops, gardens, and more always seem to come with a price tag, unless you're totally in the know. Well, it's not too complicated to file yourself under the in-the-know column. Free L.A. is a publication that you can keep on your bookshelf to use when you need low-cost fun on the fly, or hand off to those out-of-town couch surfers you're hosting who would otherwise spend their vacation days fondling your remote control and eating you out of house and home. more ›

Finally! Being a local in Hollywood has some advantages. Or, rather, will have some come October, if you want to play tourist in your own backyard. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has announced several area businesses and services will be offering savings of 50 per cent to SoCal residents during the month of October, according to abc7. more ›

A host of Eastern European countries and South Korea were accepted into the U.S. Visa Waiver Program today, meaning visitors from these countries will be permitted an unlimited number of travelers to visit the U.S. without a Visa. And that's good news for Los Angeles' tourism, says Mayor Villaraigosa: “Los Angeles already enjoys a strong community of nearly 400,000 citizens of Korean descent, but this new program will strengthen our economic and cultural ties with South Korea to unprecedented new heights." His office thinks the program could bring an additional 200,000 tourists and $60 million in visitor spending to Los Angeles within a year. The program will go into effect next month. more ›

Starting today, Starline Tours will be adding downtown to their roster of double-decker travel for sight seeing in addition to routes in Beverly Hills and Hollywood. "The 'hop-on hop-off' buses will travel between Olvera Street and Staples Center each half-hour, starting at 10 a.m.," reported the Daily News. "Along the route, riders can stop at the Civic Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Broadway's historic movie theaters, the Central Library and other sites." Just another sign that downtown is moving up in the world. more ›

Today, the Office of Vital records told all California counties can start issuing same-sex marriage licenses the minute after the California Supreme Court's order goes into effect, which is June 16, 5:01 p.m. more ›

Now that same-sex marriages are legalized in California (they begin June 17), this weekend's 38th annual Los Angeles Lesbian, Gay, Bi, and Transgender Pride celebration will probably have more energy than ever before. From Friday through Sunday, events including the Dyke March, the two-day Christopher Street Festival (with headliners Joss Stone and Olivia Newton John) and the parade, West Hollywood will be abuzz with activity. more ›

The California Supreme Court denied the request to stay same-sex marriages until after a November vote by a 4-3 vote, it was announced today. That means marriages may be commenced starting June 17 throughout California. The order becomes final on June 16 at 5 p.m., according to a press release sent out by the state's Judicial Council. more ›

Today, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen announced (pdf) that the initiative to ban gay marriage through a state amendment change qualifies for the November 4th ballot. 1,120,801 signatures were submitted and enough signatures qualified through a random sample signature check. If passed, the amendment would change California's consitutution to define marriage as a union “between a man and a woman.” One poll said that Californians "narrowly" reject gay marriage. more ›

Changes could be brewing over at Olvera Street where a Downtown News investigation looks at the cost of rent, which is currently well below market rate. The area, which is run by a City of Los Angeles department not quite self-sufficient yet: more ›

Despite the uncertainty of gay marriages lasting in California, an upswing in travel and wedding plans is expected to bring a boost to the California economy. It could bring in $370-million, according to the research director at the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at the UCLA School of Law. The estimate is based on half of the 92,000 same-sex couples in California getting married and using the average of $8,040. This number does not include couples traveling from out of state, who will have to book hotels, rent cars and pay for other services during their stay. more ›

Los Angeles City Controller Laura Chick is bringing up one of LAist's favorite topics: Los Angeles. The once City Councilwoman (and probably future City Councilwoman when she runs and probably wins) wanted Los Angeles to be tourist friendly and not just for tourists, but for residents. more ›

There are many staple travel books to have on your shelf if you live in Los Angeles. There's 60 Hikes within 60 Miles for the outdoor adventure inclined. For those who want to stay a little closer to home, Erin Mahoney's Walking LA is a fun one (related, Mahoney owns Chill Out LA, a spa, beauty, yoga and pilates site and e-mail newsletter, which just relaunched with a new design last month). And today, from the Editor of the well put together travel narrative, My California: Journeys by Great Writers, comes Great Escapes: Southern California. more ›

Back in March, LAist contributor Julie Wolfson interviewed Design*Sponge's Grace Bonney. Among the questions was... more ›

So many times those of us who live in LA play host to out-of-town visitors who want to see all the sights that our amazing city has to offer. It's pretty routine to get asked if and how one can get up to the iconic Hollywood Sign to see it up close, and, sadly, it must be admitted that the sign is off-limits to regular folk. This means that looky-loos, locals, and pranksters who want to "change" the sign are out of luck (which means Brandon, Brenda, Kelly et al would probably not have been able to drape "W Bev Hi 93" over the sign after all). more ›

Not long ago, UK's Athlete scored the prestigious Mercury Music Prize for their 2003 album Vehicles and Animals. I've been following the band ever since that remarkable album. However, many have said that they made a stark transition from bright to melodramatic tones. Some see their 2005 album Tourist as the dawning of the Coldplay-esque, Brit-pop phase in Athlete's catalog. Fresh off the heels of their latest album Beyond The Neighborhood, Athlete have continued in... more ›

Jason Goodwin discusses and signs The Snake Stone 7pm @ Vroman's more ›

Even though we are way way past school age, we still get a little melancholy at the close of summer. Fortunately, our friends across the -ist network know that the shenanigans don't need to end just because the big yellow buses are back on the roads. So, grab your sunscreen and your favorite hangover cure, as we take a tour of end of summer fun from -ist cities all over the damn place. more ›

A few hours from now, "Vanity Fair columnist Christopher Hitchens debates political theorist Andrew Arato of the New School for Social Research on the war in Iraq and its impact on the present and future of America" at REDCAT (8:30 p.m.) more ›

A random sampling of some of our favorite uncategorizables of the year. Stay tuned for a restaurant roundup, our favorite news stories, and some books and bars we love. If we can remember the bars. more ›

The hipster cityguide Not for Tourists is debuting its sassy 5th edition LA NFT just in time for the holidays. If you've got the 4th edition, some changes you'll notice are new sections on Zuma and Pedro, MOCA and sports. And the handy nightlife and restaurant and movie theater listings. All by neighborhood. Whew! It's enough to drive you to drink. more ›